Little Miss Raindrop
by lolitapocket173
Summary: Maria is home schooled, her family are horrible, she's starting to give up, but a trip to a annoying beauty pageant, brings her face to face with probably the best people she will ever meet, the hoovers.
1. Chapter 1

"Oh Maria, Maria! Hand Amethyst her hairbrush!"

It started in the third little miss sunshine competition my sister had entered into, she had won each time and she was going for a third win. That's why my mother was asking me to hand her the hairbrush, I was always getting pushed into the dressing room to help her get ready. I hated this, I hated this place, the girls here are always the same plastic looking bitches! Doing the same act, year in year out!

As the clock struck ten past three me, my father and my mother excused our selves from the changing room, to go take our seats at the front. As I leaned back in my chair, I looked around waiting for it to begin and end as soon as possible.

I think I fell asleep for most of the show, I was only woken up when my mother jabbed me in the ribs to tell me that Amethyst was just about to do her performance. My sister flounced and smiled, fluttering her eyelids and skipping around the stage singing puff the magic dragon in a small pink bikini. It made my blood run cold, as my sister's act ended and everyone clapped and showed off their pearly white teeth, I wished for the ground to open up and swallow me whole, after a couple minutes a new girl came on, I'd never see her before, long long brown hair, sparkling eyes, with a fantastic top hat and suite on.

My brain immediately switched back on as she made a speech about her grandfather and then she began to dance. It was hilarious, as Olive did her dirty dance I couldn't help smiling, yes it was funny, but it was obvious that this girl loved being here and not just about winning the gold like all the plastic's did!

But just as I was really getting into it some of the barbies began to boo, I just couldn't deal with that, so I stood up and began to clap. Looking back it was one of the best things I ever did, not just because my mother hated me doing it, but because I got to stand up to what I had hated my whole life. Everyone was staring at me, until a man in a white shirt and bandages around his wrists stood up, looked over at me and began clapping, soon after this the whole family followed on, they all had given me a small smile before turning to Olive.

It was only then that I noticed the main judge had disappeared and the host was chasing the little girl around the stage.

I felt my father tug at my shirt sleeve, he tugged harder and harder, until he eventually pulled me back onto my seat with a crash, but even that didn't take my attention away from the dance, it appeared that the girl's father had started to dirty dance next to her and soon the man in white and a tall dark haired teenager jumped on after.

It was such a sight to see them all dancing around her, it was like looking into an alternate universe. I wasn't use to seeing family's act like this, my mother and father sit at opposite ends of the table, they could have been living on different planets, they never spoke! But all of Olive's family where up there dancing, when the music stopped to my dismay they were carted off by a policeman and I thought I would never see them again.

"I can't believe you, Maria! How dare you cheer on those freaks!"

"There not freaks mum, their people, not mindless robots like all those other stick bitches back there!"

"language!" my mother shrieked, I crossed my arms and raised my eye brows at her.

"english and I speak a little spanish"

Before my Mother could have a go at me, my sister distracted her by saying, "Mother isn't that the freaks?"

As we all turned to stare at the sunflower yellow van and the people getting inside, I knew this is was my chance, so I ran, I ran over to them, no matter how many times my mother screamed my name.

"Hi sorry to interrupt, but you were fantastic!" They all turned to look at me while I regained my breathe, Olive's face lit up as she replied "thanks."

"Hey you were the first one to start clapping Olive on, that was really nice of you." I turned my head to look at the man in white, I was later informed that his name was Frank.

"Yeah that was me, I was happy to see some actual talent up on the stage, my names Maria by the way, Maria Anderson."

"Hi Maria, this is my mom and dad, this is uncle Frank and this is my brother Dwayne." Olive said, grinning from ear to ear.

"You were all fantastic!" They were all smiling now and Olive's mum hugged her daughter tight.

"Maria Anderson come her now!"

"I'll be over soon mother!"

"So that's your mom over there and oh, is that your sister?" Olive asked "yeah that's them, I better go before they drag me back there, here, I'd love to meet you again Olive, all of you. Look here's my number, call me please, bye!"

With that I ran away from the best people I would ever meet for the rest of my life, hoping it wouldn't be the last.

I never forgot about the Hoovers, they were all I thought about for a month, I never had anything else to think about. I liked everything about them, they were real, not covered in lies and plastic surgery. Of course I got told off when I got home, but what could they take away from me, I didn't go to school, I had no friends to see. It was a depressing child hood, now I look back, me and my sister were brought up to be respectable ladies of the world, best at everything, beautiful and clever, sometimes I thought the only reason my mum and dad got together was because they were both good looking and loaded with cash.

Only I turned out wrong, I was clever and I got told I was good looking, but I couldn't think of anything worse then being a Miss America or a supermodel. My brother Andy was marrying a duchess and would soon have a title, little Amethyst was the owner of three Little Miss Sunshine trophies and a scholarship for a modelling agency. What did I have, good grades and cuts on my both my wrists.

Maybe that was why I was so thrilled when I got a call from Olive's mum asking me if I wanted to come and visit or not, when I told them where I lived, she sounded shocked and told me not to bother, it would cost to much. It was then that I explained that after my Nan had died, leaving me half of her fortune and hardly a penny to my parents, she calmed down and we agreed that I would come down this weekend, it was a holiday and so Olive would be off school.

Those three days went slower then three years, my mother was happy to get me out of the house, though she didn't dare to admit it, Amethyst laughed at me and said she'd always known I was a freak "Better to be a freak then a Barbie doll." I said sourly and with that I picked up my bags and got in the car to the airport.

As we drove up to the front of the house, I let out a sigh of relief, it was so, so, so NORMAL!

The driver helped me with my bags to the front door, I thanked him and as he drove away I picked up the knocker and let it fall on the orange door, from inside I could hear them talking "Olive can you go get that, it will probably be Maria, you go help her Dwayne, she'll have bags." Just like that Olive opened the door, in little pink shorts, red cow boy boots and a smile stretching across her sweet young happy face "Hi Maria!"

"Hi Olive!" as I lugged in my bags, Dwayne walked over, picked up the heaviest one and carried it like it was thin air. "Thanks Dwayne." He just turned around and smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

"It's so nice to see you again Maria!" Sheryl said as she walked over to me with her arms out stretched. "It's nice to see you all again, thank you so much for inviting me, you don't know how much this means to me!"

"Well it was Olive who just couldn't stop talking about you, although most of us couldn't, its' hard to imagine that we met you at the Little Miss Sunshine pageant." Sheryl said as she walked me into the kitchen, Dwayne still holding my bag asked where I wanted it. "Oh, well I don't know, where will I be sleeping?"

"You'll be sleeping in our spare room." Suddenly Olive's smile disappeared as if she was deep in thought, before her smile sprouted up again

"come on, I'll show you to your room." So we set off, Olive in front, me in the middle carrying one bag and Dwayne behind carrying the other.

"This is where you'll be sleeping, I'm going to go see how dinner is."

And with that Olive left the room, skipping and humming a made up tune, so it was just me and Dwayne in the room, I placed my bag down on the floor and turned around to face him. He was looking around, almost in a daze, before his eyes finally fell on mine, he smiled, set down my bags and said very quietly "It's nice to see you again."

I watched him leave, before lying down on the bed and giving out a sigh of relief.

"Wake up, wake up" As my eyes opened slowly, to a grinning Olive in front of me I let out a huge yawn "you fell asleep, it's time for dinner."

"Ok" I got up slowly and followed her to the kitchen

"ah Maria, we were getting worried when you didn't show." Sheryl said as she showed me to a chair next to Olive. "I'm so sorry, I think I was tired from the flight."

"That's alright, please sit down." She gestured to a seat and I gladly took it, Olive smiled at me, before taking a huge bite into a chicken wing "Sorry, they're not proper, there from the bucket, but please have some salad."

"But they're delicious!"

"Would you like to have some salad, Maria?" Dwayne asked, smiling, "yes, please Dwayne." He handed me the salad and for a brief moment our hands touched, I looked down, trying to hide the blush appearing on my cheeks, but when I looked up Dwayne was starring down at his plate, the tips of his ears where crimson.

I served myself and then passed it round to Frank, "So Maria, tell us about yourself, we know very little, where do you go to school?" Richard asked "I don't go to school, my parents made me leave before I went into elementary, I've been home schooled ever since."

"Oh, well that must be nice, having to just stay home, how relaxing."

"It would be, but we have a rota, we have to wake up at 5:00 am to go to our lessons, we have a special classroom in the house just for it, it's kind of lonely." Richard's face dropped, he obviously didn't expect to here the truth about my childhood, but he got it. "Well how sad, still you must have a magnificent house, your parents must be very well off."

"They are, I don't see the point in a huge house, sorry I sound really spoilt." My cheeks flushed red, as I squeezed my hands, my nails cutting into my skin. "Not at all, but please do explain why?" Frank asked, he gave a small smile, showing he wasn't lying. "Because all those rooms are never used, in my house I could fit a whole school in there, but there's only my small family and a couple servants, it's just lonely. If it wasn't for the cleaners, the rooms would be covered in dust from never being used."

It was depressing realising what I lived in, so I looked around, at the photos of the family on the wall, the messy sofa and the table covered in toys and magazines, the house was lived in, homely.

"That's why your house is so beautiful, because it's warm and homely. You live in paradise." Sheryl and Richard smiled and held each other's hands, Frank grinned, Olive beamed!

Dwayne just looked at me, a smile creeping into the left corner of his mouth, but as soon as he saw I was looking, it disappeared from sight and he just finished his food and left.

As the rest of us finished off our food, Sheryl stood up and began collecting the plates "Can I help Sheryl, I feel I must help after the kind way you've all treated me." Sheryl smiled and handed me half the plates "Maria, I'm going to go watch some telly, come see me there when you're done."

Olive said "Ok" we began washing the plates, I was wearing a long sleeved purple shirt and the water was filled with soap, so without thinking I pulled up my sleeves and started the washing up. "Maria, what happened to you?" I turned my head to face Sheryl sharply "What do you mean?"

"Your wrists, what happened to them?" I just sighed, rubbed the bandages on my wrists and looked up at Sheryl, a small tear running down my cheek cooled my face. "I just couldn't help it, life was just too hard." With that I put down the plate I was holding and held my head in my hands, letting the tears run down my face. Sheryl stopped what she was doing and comforted me as I told her about everything, she never spoke only nodded and stroked my hair, as I finished she looked at me and smiled "I'm glad I met you Maria, it's not every day we come across a girl like you, it was fate that we met you that day, you're here with us now, try not to worry, but if you want to come talk to me, do, ok?" I nodded and looked up at Sheryl, with a small smile "Thank you." And with that we finished of the dishes in silence.

I could here the TV on from the hallway, as I walked into the living room, Olive turned and smiled, patting the seat next to her and I gladly took it. She turned her attention back to the TV, giving me a chance to look around, from the grey TV, to the wall absolutely covered in framed photos, to the door, in which stood a very calm looking Dwayne.

I was a little shocked to see him there, he must walk very quietly, he looked at me and smiled, he was still silent as he walked to the nearest armchair and fell into the soft fabric. We sat there in silence, with the TV blaring in the background, all I could focus on was Dwayne, out of the corner of my eye, I looked at his long black hair, his soft brown eyes, white t-shirt, black jeans and scruffy shoes. He was unlike anyone I had ever met and I was fascinated by him, it had only been about ten minutes in when Olive excused her self to go to the toilet, leaving me and Dwayne alone again.

It was a struggle to even think of anything to say to him, the stillness was deathly, until Dwayne broke it with a laugh. We were watching a documentary on dancing, so I couldn't see what was funny, "What's so funny?"

"You." He grinned, "What's so funny about me?" I was very taken aback by how he was suddenly acting. "Just you, it's funny to think you live in a posh house, with a little miss sunshine winner in your house, I couldn't deal with that, it would be my hell, you just look so anti that." I smiled, maybe we weren't so different, "It is hell, I can't stand it in there, some times it's a fight not to just punch them in the face and run away. My mother was always trying to make me more like my little sister, I couldn't think of anything worse!"

Dwayne laughed and then looked at me, like he was seeing me from a different angle and for some reason, I was doing the same.

"Why are you two just staring at each other?" I snapped back into reality and just stared at Olive in the doorway, how long had we been like that? I looked back at Dwayne, but he was starring down at his feet, his face hidden by a curtain of black hair. So the mysterious moment was gone, bringing Dwayne and back to minute looks and small un-noticeable smiles. Olive just gave me a weird smile and turned her attention back to the telly, the tension was a killer, I had to brake it again

"You know what a trip to the bathroom sounds quite good, excuse me." Olive nodded and Dwayne stayed as still as statue.

In the bathroom I stared at my face, was I pretty? I'd never thought of this subject, I guess I was, my hair was a vibrant ginger that framed my round face, my eyes had always been blue, grey and green and my nose was slightly turned up. I wasn't fat, but I certainly wasn't skinny. Dwayne would never fancy me, why was I thinking of Dwayne. I had to splash my face with cold water to get the thought out of my mind, but I knew as soon as I went back into that room again I would think the same thing again and again, until Dwayne was no longer in my sight.

This weekend was going to be a long one and it wasn't even half over.

With that I un locked the bathroom door and walked along the hall way to the living room, through a crack I saw Olive trying to copy the dance moves off the TV from her seat. Dwayne was looking at his feet, running his hands through his hair and then he just smiled, it was one of those cheesy, all teeth smiles, the ones I couldn't stand, but Dwayne's teeth were just slightly crooked, his smile not too wide, just enough to make it absolutely irresistible,

I watched them for about a minute "I know what your thinking about." Olive said as she carried on dancing,

Dwayne looked up confused and scared "I don't know what you mean."

"It's nice to have Maria here isn't it, she's a very pretty girl and so funny." Olive smiled, raiseing her eyebrows and then turned back to the TV.

Dwayne's smile stopped, he gulped, leaned back into his chair, his head back and his eyes closed, he let out a huge sigh before falling asleep.

The TV was turned off, Olive walked out finding me up against the wall, hand on heart "Hi Maria, Dwayne's asleep in there, best not to wake him, come I'll show you my room." She twisted around and began to walk off, giving me a brief moment to look back at Dwayne, he was fast asleep, his face happy and peaceful, my heart quickened under my shirt, before I ran off to Olive's room.


	3. Chapter 3

I spent hours in Olive's room looking at pictures of her family, listening to her favourite tracks and at one point she was even teaching me the dance moves from her performance at little miss sunshine pageant. We were bursting out laughing as we watched each other dance, in the end we were just free styling crazily, the music was playing so loudly that we didn't hear Frank enter the room telling Olive that Sheryl wanted her to get ready for bed

Olive moaned "But were having so much fun!" Frank just laughed "I bet you are, but you need to get to bed like your mother said and I'm sure you can have fun tomorrow."

Olive still didn't look happy, so I decided to throw her a bone

"Hey, how about you wake me up tomorrow Olive, as soon as you wake up, wake me up, so then we'll be able to have lots more fun." She smiled and began tidying up her room "Good night Olive"

I said as I walked out into the corridor, Frank turned around to face me and smiled "Your so nice with Olive for a girl of your age."

"I don't really know how a girl of my age is suppose to act in the real world, so I just act how I think I should and that means having a good old dance with Olive." He just smiled at me before heading of to his and Dwayne's room.

My room was at the end of the hall, for some reason I started running my finger along the wall, taking in where I was, the people I was with, I went all around the room and into the bathroom.

I stopped there, to brush my teeth and get washed, as I listened to the vibration of the water tank, I was just so relaxed, this is when I jumped up onto the side of the sink and laid back onto the mirror, swinging my legs back and forth

'CRACK!' my foot crashed into something hard under the sink, jumping down I looked at the damage I had created, I had fractured the wood underneath showing a little dark cavern, I reached in felt around, glass and glossy paper, I put my other hand in and pulled out the items in my hands.

Porn magazines and a small glass bottle filled with, coke! My hands shook, why did the Hoover family have such vile objects in their spare bedroom, maybe they weren't as good as I though, who did they belong to? Maybe Richard, no he's a father! Frank was so nice and he was gay, he wouldn't look at porn magazines with girls in, there was only one person, my face dropped as his name came into my head. Why, why did he have to be like that, I thought he was special, different, not like anyone else I had ever met, but he was just another sick bastard!

Placing the ghastly items back into the cavern, I slowly turned and walked to my bed, my mind was a blank and my eyes blurred.

The rest of the night I either spent sleeping or lying wide awake starring at the ceiling wondering what I had done to deserve this, I loved this family, more then my own probably,

Olive was my little sister, Sheryl that aunt who your just so close too, Frank of course my uncle, the one who's just always happy, Richard that friend of the family who's just so dedicated to everything and Dwayne, Dwayne was always the best one, he wasn't my brother he wasn't my family, he was the one I wanted to be around the most. I don't think I love him, I've only known him a couple days, but it feels like I've known him for years, even though we've only exchanged a few simple words and smiles.

I drifted of to sleep as I thought of Dwayne.

I dreamed a horrible dream that night, I had woken up to the sound of laughter and the telly being on really loudly, I had got up and walked through the hall to the living room, I peered through the crack between the door and the wall. I had to restrain myself from bursting out in tears. It was Dwayne he was sitting down and in front of a table with a porn magazine in front of him, it wasn't open, but his eyes were scanning it as if he was starring at the pictures inside, just then Emma walked in, dressed in her gold and black sparkly bikini she had worn two years ago. She was carrying a small bottle full of crystal white powder. She smiled her perfect smile before handing it to Dwayne, who took it obediently. He laid it out in front of him on top of the magazine and began cutting it, Emma held out a small cylinder and he pressed it to his nose, inhaling the horrible dust, he breathed it all in. Emma clapped and told him to carry on, he obeyed, when the whole bottle had been emptied Emma sat on his lap and began telling him about herself, she kissed him on the cheek and then stared straight at where I was standing on the other side of the wall, she didn't speak, but I could tell what she was thinking "I've won again"

I screamed.

Sitting up suddenly I looked around the room, my face burned and I could tell sweat was dripping from my forehead, I quickly got out of bed, got dressed and tiptoed out of my room.

As I opened the front door as quietly as possible, a shot of fresh midnight air hit my face, it stung beautifully and cooled my whole body, as the seconds turned into minutes I began to wish that I'd brought a coat, but the stars had bewitched me, so instead I lay down on the grass and stared up at the sky, closing my eyes I imagined a perfect world,

I was just thinking up my amazing home when I heard a voice behind my head

"You'll catch a cold out here, I brought you a blanket." I sat up and looked around at Dwayne in a baggy jumper and PJ trousers

"What do you want?" I said rudely, Dwayne looked at me, with such shock on his face that I almost felt bad for him "What do you mean Maria?"

"Come on Dwayne, I'm not stupid, why do you have porn magazines and coke in the spare bedroom?"

Dwayne just looked at me, his expression changed slowly, smiling at me he sat down, he held out the blanket to me. I pushed it away he just shrugged at me

"Maria, that wasn't mine, it was Olive's grandfather, he had stayed in the very room you sleep in, he died during the time we were taking Olive to the pageant. I was sure we had cleaned out all of his stuff away, but I guess we didn't look closely enough, sorry. We didn't want to tell you in case you got scared to stay in that room. I'm so sorry."

He might have been lying, but I so wanted to believe he was good again that I did

"Sorry Dwayne, I shouldn't have blamed you so quickly"

as I said this I wrapped the warm blanket around my shoulders, snuggling into the maroon cotton, Dwayne smiled his perfect smile as he gently nudged his shoulder into mine

"Apology excepted, so how long do you think you'll be out here for?"

"It's just so peaceful out here, I could be here all night"

Out of the corner of my eye I watched Dwayne look up at the sky and then back at me, he looked so happy. I had to look at him properly, but as soon as I looked at him he immediately bent his neck back quickly to look up at the stars, I heard his neck crick and he closed his eyes in pain. "Are you ok?"

"How could looking up at stars be so painful?" He said through gritted teeth, against all my boundaries I just had to go that extra step.

"Here, let me help."

I went to sit behind Dwayne, my heart quickened what was I doing?

Dwayne flinched a little when my hands touched the back of his neck, but then he relaxed "I use to give my maid Rosalina a neck massage when ever my mother and sister had been particularly trying and mean to her, guess you could say I became a bit of a expert, it's one of my only talents."

"You are, but I bet that's not true about this being your only talent, a pretty girl like you must have lots of talents."

As soon as he had said that, we both flinched, Dwayne thought I was pretty, this moment was too perfect.

"Sorry did I say something to make you un-comfortable?"

"No that was lovely for you to say that."

I slid back next to Dwayne, he was blushing incredibly, his hand was made into a tight little fist, I reached out and un-clasped his hands gently, he relaxed as our hands touched, it was like a dream come true.

He looked down at our hands and then back up, he looked into my eyes and just burst out laughing

"Do you remember when this happened earlier on today, how long do you think we were looking at each other?"

I giggled as I thought back "I don't know, I wasn't really counting."

"Hey Maria, what did you first think when you saw me?"

"Wow that boy is tall!"

Dwayne laughed at me and gently punched me "No tell me the truth."

"That you were like no one I had ever met in my whole entire life, that you were, cheesy as it sounds, special, what did you think of me?"

Dwayne just stared at me, star struck, I waved my hand in front of his face to wake him up "Hello, anybody home."

Dwayne shook his head "Hi, urmm ok, I thought you were so sweet and caring for cheering my sister on and when I saw you arrive at the door I couldn't look you in the eye, because, because you were just so perfect and so different."

At that moment the world stopped, all I wanted was for Dwayne and I to float of into our own little world, I could feel my face flush, Dwayne and I looked a sight with our pink cheeks, but it was perfect, I closed my eyes to stop a tear dribbling down my cheeks.

Just then I felt Dwayne press his lips to my burning cheek.

As I opened my eyes I let the tear fall as I smiled, I had never been this happy, I never had felt so cheesy!

Dwayne smiled as he drew back, he whiped the tear from my face "Dwayne I, I, I" I couldn't get the words out so I did something else I leaned forward and kissed Dwayne softly.


	4. Chapter 4

His lips felt warm against mine, it was only a short kiss, but I never regretted, we drew back and smiled, it seems that was our main language, smiling, we did that more then talk, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

We did eventually get so cold that we had no choice, but to go inside,

as we tiptoed through the silent house I glanced up at the clock, four in the morning, as we arrived at Dwayne's door I leaned up on tip toes and kissed his cheeks once again before departing to my own room.

As his door closed behind him I heard Frank congratulate him, obviously Frank has the hearing of a bat, maybe he was the one that told Dwayne to go see me, I never found out.

For the rest of the night I slept deep and peacefully

and when Olive came to wake me up she said I had a large smile from ear to ear.

Olive had done as I had said and woke me up at eight o'clock sharp!

She was already dressed and agreed to let me have fifteen minutes to get clothed and washed before starting the fun again, because the rest of the house and human kind were still asleep we decided to go outside and play the music very quietly. By nine we had thought up and rehearsed a full dance routine, which as you can guess caused us to have killer hunger pains, causing us to devour our breakfast an hour later. "

You girls certainly are hungry" Richard said as he spooned sugar on to his cereal, until it was cereal under a mountain of sugar, Sheryl eyed him closely, but didn't say anything.

After I had helped clean up, Dwayne pulled me aside and whispered in my ear "Don't talk about the stuff in your room out loud, Olive never knew about her grandfathers habits, I've told mum and she will come and clear them out of your room soon." I nodded and he let go off my arm, quite reluctantly, obviously no one except Frank knew about our little moment last night, I think that was best until it became more serious.

I spent most of the day talking, playing games, dancing and watching TV with Olive, for if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have been there, but everywhere I looked, Dwayne wasn't far behind, even if it was through the corner of my eye,

but it was the best moment of my life when at lunch Sheryl announced that her and Richard would be going out for a special dinner together and would it be possible for Frank to baby sit

"Sorry Sheryl it's my first night to be on own and I'm going to go out around the town for a bit I'm sure Dwayne and Maria won't mind looking after Olive for the night, they're both old enough."

Frank winked, a very quick, secret wink at Dwayne, Sheryl seemed to consider the thought for a moment, but it was Richard who made the decision

"Why not, Frank deserves a night out and Maria and Dwayne are defiantly responsible enough to look after Olive for a couple hours. That settled it, at six in the evening the adults would leave and us three would be left on our own,

there was only three rules we had to obey while left in the house, which was much less then the amount I got at home, when I was just staying in my room. One get Olive to bed by seven, number two there is a frozen pizza in the fridge and you can make yourself some salad if you want, have as much as you want and number three me and Dwayne were to get to bed by twelve, Sheryl and Richard would be out until about two, I think it was their anniversary and Frank would be back around five, so we had a good amount of time before they all came back.

"Good bye Olive" Sheryl kissed Olive's forhead

"Goodbye Dwayne" She kissed Dwayne on the cheek

"Goodbye Maria" she gave me a big hug,

"Goodbye" We all chimed back, as the door shut Dwayne turned to me and beamed and quickly stroked my hand, I think he was going to hold it for a bit, but Olive suddenly turned around, causing us to break apart.

We watched one of Olive's favourite films, little mermaid for about an hour, Olive made it very clear in her cute mousey way that Dwayne should sit on her right and me on her left, I think she was trying to keep us apart until she went to bed.

As we tucked her in she asked for a goodnight kiss from each of us, we did as we were told and just as we were leaving Olive sat up in bed and grinned a cheeky grin

"Dwayne make sure to give Maria a good night kiss before you go to bed, I think she deserves it."

We both turned around in shock, Dwayne gave a small smile and said "Don't worry I will." Olive laughed before settling down in her bed to sleep.

"Now Maria, what should we do, I do believe you have seen every room except mine, please do take a gander."

I laughed at this as Dwayne offered me his arm and as I took it I whispered in Dwayne's ear "Don't try anything naughty gorgeous." Dwayne burst out laughing as he took me to his room.

It was amazing, with two beds across from each other, a huge picture of Friedrich Nietzsche on his walls, books covering a huge shelf and athletic equipment covered the floors

"Work out much?" I said

pinching his muscles gently, he brushed my hand away and then pulled me close, hugging me until my breath was almost squeezed out my body, I could feel his heat close to me, warming me from head to toe.

It made me shiver with pleasure,

"Are you cold?"

"No it's just so fantastic." I sighed with bliss,

Dwayne smiled and pecked me on the cheek, I turned around and wound my arms round his waist, my arms could barely reach round his neck, it was perfect. I was wearing a short-sleeved top and a cardigan, but because of the heat of the room, I ended up slipping of my cardigan, before continuing the hug, this time I stood on my tip toes and reached all the way up to wrap my arms around Dwayne's neck, he pulled me close and began kissing my cheek, one side and then the other, again and again and again.

It made me laugh so much that I almost fell down from his grasp, making my grip loosen.

"Maria why are your wrists so rough?"

It was then I regretted taking of my jumper, Dwayne pulled away and held my bandaged wrists in his trembling hands, a tear dribbled down his cheek, he had to blink hard to stop more falling,

"Maria, what happened?"

I didn't feel like talking about it, but I guess I had to at some point

"What do you think happened Dwayne?"

I sat down on a bed I think was Dwayne's

"You were either hurt or well you harmed yourself, oh please Maria say you haven't? I thought you were different." Dwayne looked a mixture of worry and anger

"Dwayne I was so un-happy."

"Yeah, but so was I before, I never tried to kill myself, we've all hated our families at one point."

"Dwayne if it was only because of my family I'd already be dead, no it was more then that, it was a couple months before the Little Miss Sunshine pageant that I did it. It started when I was thirteen, I only had one person in my family that I truly loved, my grandma, but she caught cancer in her lungs and after two years she had to give in and she died."

Dwayne's face dropped, he obviously hadn't expected this, he came and sat next to me, as he sat down the bed slid to one side making me fall onto him, but he just caught me and held me in his arms. "Was this when you tried to?"

"No, I hadn't told you, but my mother had promised me that if I won a beauty pageant she would send me off to college far far away, I'd been having the lessons to be a beauty queen since I could walk and talk, so I thought this would be it, in the bag, my ticket out of here, but it wasn't to be."

Dwayne had started stroking my hair, which made me immediately lye down in his lap, he didn't seem to care and carried on.

"The pageant was perfect, going well, until I met Emma, she was late, but she had been in this pageant all her life so they let her in, you can guess what happened, she wowed the audience and every one loved her. I was so embarrassed I ran out before they even announced who had come second, I never saw Emma again, but she came to me just before they handed out the prizes. She said I am going to win again."

I felt weird telling Dwayne my terrible moments, but for some reason he didn't mind and after a while he started telling me his, we had a competition to see who had, had the worse moments in life, it ended up being a tie.

I spent the whole night in Dwayne's arms, I ended up being as stiff as stone, at eleven o'clock Dwayne walked me to my room, we stood just outside, me leaning against the wall and Dwayne right in front of me

"Olive told me to give you a goodnight kiss, so I better do as I'm told." He said with a cheeky smile

With that he pulled me close, wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed me so passionately, the air in my lungs become a in dangered species as we intwined our lips together even tighter, I felt Dwayne give my bottom lip a little nip, while his hands carresed my back.

Suddenly I moaned.

Dwayne opened his eyes and grinned at my shocked expression.

"Am I that good?" he said, leaning forward, he breathed slightly on my neck, before stick out his tongue and licking it quickly.

I moaned again, louder this time.

Dwayne pulled back slightly and whispered in my ear "sssh you don't want to wake Olive up do you?"

I shook my head and tried to regain my breathe, I was rather dissapionted that it had ended so quickly.

I think Dwayne noticed my anger, because he quickly pulled me into my bedroom and shut the door with a loud slam.

"Dwayne, you'll wake up Olive" I hissed, though I must say I was getting slightly turned on by this new side of him, he was urgent and passionate, his eyes sparkled and he was breathing deeply.

"She sleeps like a log" he said, walking back to me.

I didn't mean to, it was a kind of reflex, but I walked back, Dwayne smirked and carried on walking. I winked at him and started skipping back wards.

"Come get me Dwayne" I whispered, beconing him closer with my finger.

"Oh just you wait" he said, taking even bigger steps now

suddenly my back touched the wall

Dwayne saw this and lunged forward

I threw my arms around his neck, while my hands intwined in his hair, I inhaled his sweet smell, while his mouth clamped onto mine, his tongue pushed through my lips, though I didn't really put up a fight, I wanted it and Dwayne knew that.

One of his hands gripped on to the back of my neck, pulling my even closer to him. While the other hand explored the whole of my back, resting slightly on the very bottom of my spine, his finger tips delicatley drew shapes on the very top of my left bum cheek, but I made sure he wasn't going to far, I wanted it, but I wasn't going to give everything up easily.

After what seemed like years, we finally pulled apart, gasping for breath like fish out of water.

"Bet you've never been said goodnight to like that!" Dwayne said, grinning, he was tracing the contours of my collar bone, sending warm shivers all the way through my body.

"No I haven't and I doubt I'll ever be kissed like that again" I said, wrapping my arms lightly around his waist, my head resting on his soft chest.

"I wouldn't bet on it, your kisses are becoming like medicine for me, I'm only well when I've been with you." Dwayne mummered, kissing the top of my head

"Your so cheesy" I smiled as I kissed his lips quickly before showing him out "Goodnight Dwayne."

"Goodnight Maria."


	5. Chapter 5

"wakey wakey!" As my eyes opened my head began to spin, my whole body was so stiff, all I could see were two large blue eyes rimmed in clear plastic "Olive what's the matter?"

"My mom told me to come and get you, so that you me and Dwayne could have breakfast together, the adults are feeling rather ill, they say they've got headaches."

I knew exactly what Sheryl, Frank and Richard had, they must have drunk half of America's alcohol between the three of them, though I must say I wasn't feeling good myself, by the time I had woken myself up Olive had left the room to go wake up Dwayne.

As I slipped myself into a comfy pair of jeans and a soft baggy green jumper, tiptoeing past everyone else's rooms I entered the kitchen, Olive was sitting down nibbling the corners of a toast smothered in jam while Dwayne sipped coffee and read one of his favourite books, as I went to sit down next to Olive she placed one of her toys on the chair

"Sorry Maria, you'll have to sit next to Dwayne."

There were plenty of other chairs, but I didn't object to the chance, Dwayne looked up at me, his hair hanging in his eyes

"Morning!"

"Maria, are you and Dwayne going to get married, can I wear my cow boy boots to the wedding? Will I be the bridesmaid? Please let me be the bridesmaid!"

Dwayne looked at me and I looked at him and we both just burst out laughing, Olive just smiled

"Don't tell me, you believe me and Maria are a couple." Dwayne asked, while whipping away a tear from underneath his eye, at the same time I tried to regain my breath

"I don't think, I know!"

"What would give you that idea?" I asked teasing Olive a little,

Dwayne smiled at me and reached underneath the table to hold my hand, just enough so that Olive couldn't see. "Well for one you're the same age, I found you starring into each others eyes, Dwayne won't stop looking and smiling at you, I heard you two talking constantly last night and lastly your holding hands underneath the table."

I didn't give Olive a reply, I just simply lifted my hand encased in Dwayne's up into the air, she clapped enthusiastically, Dwayne laughed and reached over, pecking me on the cheek.

"So Olive's worked it out as well, now your parents are the last ones who need to find out, so love birds when is the momentous occasion going to happen?"

Our heads turned to the sound of the voice, but I was relieved to see that it was just Frank standing there, he came over to us and clapped Dwayne on the back in congratulatory way, then coming over to me, holding out his right hand to shake mine,

the only problem was that my left hand was in Dwayne's. Frank smiled, I pulled my hand away teasingly, but Dwayne just grinned and grabbed my hand in both of his tightly,

"Don't worry Dwayne, I won't take her away from you, I've got my own."

My eyes widened, Dwayne raised his eyebrows and elbowed me softly in the side, I turned to him and he mouthed "Ooh la la!"

Frank smiled and winked, but then pointed at Olive who was licking her fingers of scarlet jam, we both nodded, best not to tell Olive about her uncle's naughty ways last night.

Frank retreated back to his room after brewing a bucket full of strong coffee, Sheryl and Richard woke up about two in the afternoon, giving them a healthy appetite for brunch "I'm so sorry you three, I don't know what came over us." Richard said as they all gathered around the table for lasagne and lemonade,

"It's alright Richard." Dwayne said giving Olive and I, a secret wink, Olive giggled, Frank had to tap her lightly under the table so that she didn't give anything away

"So Maria, how have you enjoyed it here with us? It is going to be sad to see you go tomorrow."

My face suddenly drooped as I remembered that I would be going home tomorrow, I looked down, but from the corner of my eye I saw Dwayne looking incredibly upset "I've enjoyed it extremely, I'll be so sad to leave you all." Everyone gave me a sympathetic smile as they remembered what my home was like.

For the rest of the evening we spent chattering about absolutely nothing!

Towards the end I had to take leave to the toilet, as I was coming out I bumped into Dwayne

"Maria I think it's time to tell my mum and Richard about us, then I'll be able to invite you more, please say yes!"

Smiling I nodded, at least Dwayne was honest and mostly I couldn't think of anything better then coming back again to see them, Dwayne smiled and embraced me in a tight hug, I wrapped my arms around his neck and in turn he started kissing my neck up and down

"Dwayne, Maria are you coming back soon?" Frank shouted, I could here a laugh almost escaping through his voice. We both hurried to the living room, as we entered Dwayne took my hand in his "Everyone we have a announcement."

As Sheryl looked up I saw her face light up "Oh and what would that be" Richard asked, a smirk creeping onto his face

"Maria and I are in love and I ask that Maria can come back again, soon."

There was a moment of silence before Sheryl jumped up and pulled us into a huge embrace, for a skinny women she sure was strong "oh happy, happy days! I thought you two made a cute couple together!" I looked down to see Olive tugging at both of our hands and then putting them together behind her mothers back she winked before mouthing "I will be the bridesmaid."

As Sheryl let us out of her boa constrictor grasp Frank and Richard walked up hugged me lightly and then went over to congratulate Dwayne, Richard shook his hand firmly, like a real man he would say, Frank just smiled, he had already showed his views on the matter.

As evening turned to night we all started to retreat to our rooms, before going into my own room I pulled Dwayne into a good night kiss and hug, but for some reason he didn't seem that interested and his kiss had hardly any passion, I was a bit upset, had revealing our secret to his family spoiled everything or was it because I was leaving, confused and upset I pulled away leaving Dwayne standing there.

Brushing my teeth in the bathroom where I had found the dirty magazines and drugs, I looked back on what had happened to me in such a short time, until my thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the thin wooden door.

Walking over I opened the door to the sound of another door closing a quiet conversation being held in a room down the hall,

closing the door until I heard a crumble of paper being squashed, there was a note trapped in between the hinges, pulling it out carefully I read

'set your alarm for twelve, lots of love!'

I could only guess what Dwayne had in mind, one thing is for sure it would be a night to remember!

'Bring bring, Bring bring!' I groaned as I reached over to turn off my phone alarm, getting up from the warm covers, why was it so cold tonight?

I had set the alarm ten minutes before twelve, so I could go and clean up before Dwayne came in, my hair looked like I had been dragged through a bush and backwards, quickly getting it into sub mission before washing my face and swigging a cup full of mouth wash, I doubt anyone can look good after sleeping.

'Knock knock'

I skipped to the door "Your right on time, please come in." I whispered, Dwayne slipped in and I quietly closed the door, he then pulled me into his arms

Before I could say anything else, Dwayne attached his lips to mine again, I could never get use to the feeling of his lips on mine, it was indescribable!

As we continued to kiss, I had an idea

It was my turn to make him moan

I pulled him to sit on my bed, so that we were about the same height,

why did I have to fall for such a tall guy?

Because he's amazing and hot, obviously!

Dwayne raised his eye brows at me, but didn't stop me as I began to trail butterfly kissed down his face, around his jaw and then down onto his neck

I looked up to see Dwayne with his eyes closed and his mouth clamped shut, he was trying to supress the moan that was lingering on his lips

I smiled against his skin, as I trailed my tongue across the side of his neck, trying to find his soft spot

I soon found it

As my tongue touched the spot right by his collarbone, Dwayne made a little sighing sound and his whole body jumped slightly

I grinned as I pressed my lips to that spot, sucking on it slightly and then pecking it, but still no moan

Looks like I'm going to have to pull out all the tricks

My hand, fell gently onto Dwayne's right knee, it lingered there for a little bit, before slowly creeping up his leg, moving away from his crotch area, I stroked the far side of his pelvis. While my mouth clamped onto his neck and my tongue soothed the skin.

Dwayne's breathing had increased and his hand was resting on the inside of my thigh

I was loving every second of this

I let my hand sneak slightly up his baggy yellow t-shirt. I could feel the soft hair around his belly button and the firm feeling of his abs against my finger tips, it was hard trying not to moan myself.

Finally I pulled my mouth away from Dwayne's neck, but only for a momment, before bitting into the skin, without breaking it, but just enough so that it would make a love bite in the morning.

"maria.." Dwayne moaned, gripping onto my leg, I let out as small moan myself as I continued to nip at Dwayne's neck.

Suddenly Dwayne grabbed my hair slightly and pulled me back up to the front of his face.

I don't know how it happened, but we ended up lying down, Dwayne on top of me, with my legs wrapped round his waist and his hands supporting his body above mine so that I wouldn't be crushed. My hands carried on feeling his chest and back, underneath his shirt, earning many moans and groans of approval from Dwayne.

I felt my whole body being taken over by the hot feeling of pleasure, it was insane how so little could create such a feeling!

After about 10 to 20 minutes, Dwayne collapsed next to me, I smiled and laid my head against his chest, feeling his heart beat against my ear. Dwayne wrapped his arms around my body, pulling me closer.

I trully loved him.

"I don't get you" I said after a while

"why?" Dwayne said, looking down at me

"I tried to say goodnight to you earlier on and you hardly glanced in my direction and now you can't keep your hands off me!"

"Sorry I was lost in thought."

"Oh and what were you thinking about?" I said, stroking his forehead, he looked like he hadn't slept in ages the amount of wrinkles

"you, I don't want you going back to that horrible life you live, please stay with me!"

Dwayne said pulling my hand away and holding it in his, kissing each finger, I sighed

"Dwayne if only I could, but my mum would search up and down the country to find me, she still thinks she'll be able to mould me into a beauty queen and any way my brothers wedding is in a week and I'm quite looking forward to it, but I'll come back soon."

Dwayne looked down he didn't seem convinced, he seemed more interested in his shoes,

I looked up into his face, even with his eyes cast down I could see his beautiful eyes shed a small tear, wiping the tear away from his soft cheek I lent up wards and kissed his neck, he shuddered before wrapping his arms even tighter around my waist, he started kissing first my shoulder, then my neck, then my ear lobe and then back to a soft tender spot I had never realised I had, I let out a small moan.

Dwayne looked back into my eyes and he pulled me into his lap, well as much as he could since we were lying down, he started rocking me back and forth, the heat from his body and the gentle movement lulled me back into sleep,

I hadn't realised how tired I was, as my eyes closed, I felt Dwayne kiss my cheek one last time.

"I love you" he whispered

I turned round to face him, but so that his arms were still around me

"I love you too" I said, placing my head in the crook of his neck and with that I fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

"Maria it's time for you to wake up now." Dwayne murmured softly, I moaned quietly and curled back up against Dwayne's chest

"Maria, this is like a dream come true, but your suppose to be leaving at twelve and it's already ten."

Shaking me gently back into the world I looked around, why did I have to leave!

Dwayne left me to get dressed and pack my bag,

as I pulled my bags out of the bedroom I limped into the kitchen, everyone was sitting around the table, when they realised I was there Dwayne immediately jumped up to help me carry my bags into the room, I smiled at him and he hugged me briefly,

he seemed much more relaxed with me now around his family,

Sheryl smiled at us and Dwayne pulled out a seat for me next to him and Olive.

I will miss the food here so much! It's so simple, but delicious at the same time

the food at home is the absolute opposite

Frank smiled at me and handed the toast rack over. That breakfast went so fast, I ended up choking on my cereal because Dwayne and Olive were acting out their dance at the beauty pageant, half way through I got pulled up of my seat, with a mouth full of orange juice and forced to join in, Dwayne started doing a crazy waltz with me, until Olive got jealous and made us both join in with her, dancing around the kitchen.

As the clock struck twelve o'clock I made the dreadful walk to the door, Dwayne and Richard were going to escort me to the airport

Dwayne and me sat in the back, we ended up in each others arms again

we completely forgot about Richard being in the front

I just happened to glance up at his mirror and he was bursting into laughter "keep it PG back there" me and Dwayne erupted into fits of giggles, while Richard carried on talking about how sweet we looked together and how Olive jumped into their room last night and saying how she would be our bridesmaid.

"Richard can Maria come back again please!"

I smiled at Dwayne, I hadn't even left yet and Dwayne was already asking me to come back, Richard smiled

"no Dwayne Maria is banned from the house!" he yelled, it made us both jump out of skins, Dwayne clung to me and pretended to cry, Richard laughed and after a while "alright Dwayne if she really has too"

After an hour of driving we arrived at the airport, me and Dwayne got out, Richard waited in the car

it took ages to get to the desk that would finally let me on the plane on the way home, but it felt like I'd already left home and I was going back to a strangers home.

Dwayne pulled me close to him and hugged me tight, the world and his wife walked past as I leaned up against him, but as the crackly voiced announced my plane was coming in for landing I had to brake the bubble and say goodbye, we indulged in one last adoring kiss before I pulled away leaving Dwayne waving goodbye, giving him one last small smile I ran to the plane taking me home.

"Maria Anderson where the hell are you!" My mother said, screaming down the phone with all the strength she had in her size zero body

I had just got of the plane, which had had three stops! Because they hadn't put enough fuel inside, worst ride ever and now my mum was shouting down the phone because I was three hours late!

"Mum I can't call you on a plane, it's against the rules, you don't want you and dad to get charged do you?"

Big mistake

"Now you listen here missy, if you really did have to stop that many times, then you would have had a good amount of time to call me and explain and also if you did get charged then it would be coming out of your own money, since your stupid grandmother gave you half her fortune, stingy old bat and let me just say"

I slammed the off button on my phone, cutting her off, no one talks like that about my grandmother and the sound of my mothers droning voice is like needles in your ears.

"Problem Miss Anderson?" I snuggled down into the seat and smiled, weird as it sounds before I met the Hoover's, Hubertus(the driver), Rosalina and some of the other maids, were my only friends and it was nice to hear a familiar voice again.

"Isn't there always Mr. H" I had never been able to say Hubertus's name when I was little so I just called him Mr.H and even though I was able to say it now, it had become a habit and it seemed to make him happy to hear his little nick name, so I didn't stop.

"True true, so how was your vacation, you were missed terribly, Rosalina has been complaining of back pains again, seems you will have to perform your miracle back massage again."

To this I burst out laughing, remembering the time I had given Dwayne a neck massage for his pains.

"Something the matter Miss Anderson?"

"Mr. H how many times have I told you to call me Maria, I was laughing because your little sentence brought back memories of my holidays, which were splendid!"

Mr. H looked into his mirror and saw me beaming in the back, he chuckled

"Yes Maria, well it is good to hear you enjoy yourself for once, I have been worrying about you, isn't it normal for teenage girls to smile." I laughed at this, but there was some sense in what he had said "Yes it is normal, but I guess I don't live a very normal life do I Mr. H?"

"No you don't Maria, there's nothing normal about your life, but still you are a very pretty, clever, nice girl and I will drink to your future!" With that he took a huge sip of tea, little dribbles of the brown liquid trickled down onto his suit

Mr. H was probably the only driver there ever was that has a mug of tea, hot or stone cold sitting in his car every day, I once said he should get a kettle in the car, but my mother and father would never allow it.

As we drove up the stone path Rosalina ran out of the servant quarters and embraced me in a tight hug, what is it with skinny women giving such cobra like squeezes! First Sheryl now Rosalina

"Oh Maria we have missed you!" she exclaimed, releasing me from her arms to help Mr. H with my bags, next time I really should bring less clothes, it wasn't all needed. I was quickly led into the kitchen, where I was greeted warmly and then upstairs where I was given cold stares and was scolded for my tardiness.

Just my luck, my brother has asked Amethyst to be one of his bridesmaids and me to do a speech at his wedding, which means dresses and jewels all around

my sisters dress has already been sent, lets just say she looks like a hen that's been dipped pink paint and sprayed with gold, it was horrendous!

My mother had wanted me to look alike, but amazingly my bothers fiancé refused and said I must look different to the bridesmaids, I love her now!

Sadly this meant my mother had ordered catalogues full of dresses to be sent to the house and we would look at them together, ugh, to find the perfect dress, I knew what my mother wanted, anything with frills and bling bling!

I on the other hand wanted something plain and simple, I didn't feel the need to impress people and there was no need for me to try and pull a boyfriend, because I already had one

oh Dwayne, how I wished I was with you right now.

I was un-packing my bags, when I noticed a small not inside, pulling it out a saw a small scribbled note written in black marker 'To my beautiful Maria, our time together was fantastic and I can't wait to see you again, hope your brothers wedding will be fun, well as fun as it could be, it is August the first isn't it, good you should get it before then, surprise! With all my love, Dwayne, xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox '

Clutching the note to my chest I twirled round and round on the spot, I loved Dwayne, I love him, I love him, I love him!

Unfortunately I said that last part out loud and at full volume, my father shouted from his study to be quiet, there was a slur in his voice

he spent so much time down there, it must get lonely, specially when were all out and he's just left with the staff.

As I was thinking this, Amber one of our youngest maids (I think she was only nineteen, she dark brown hair and a cold stare, she had always been skinny, but now she had a bit of a tummy and there was finally meat on her arms)

I only noticed because she had to make my bed, she seemed to have problems bending down, so I helped her with hardest bits, she smiled at me and then hobbled out.

When all my stuff was un-packed I changed into my dinner clothes, usually on school nights I wear what ever I feel like, but when it's the holidays we all sit as a family in our very best, this of course is hell!

Our table is very big and very square, we each have a side and waiters serve us on the very best silver and china, I'm on my mothers right and my fathers left, we never speak until after the food has been eaten and were sitting in the drawing room, mother sipping her scotch and father the brandy, they really are too old fashion sometimes, my sister spends most of the time sitting in between them on a dainty little pink chair engraved with the words 'Princess Amethyst' and covered in the softest satin, it made you want to throw up all over it's polished surface

Amethyst would say very little, but when she did, it would come out as a mousy squeak and a slight lisp

I how ever sat in a corner on my comfy moss green reading chair, with a blanket wrapped round my shoulders and a mug of hot chocolate in my hands, I would always have my hair in front of my face, one because I didn't want to look upon the sight that was my family and secondly because the ginger locks hid my headphones, stuck in my ears.

I was listening to a particularly good tune that night, I may be American, but I like English artists incredibly, this song was by ELO and was called Sweet Talking Women

Everything was perfect, until my mother looked up from her Women's weekly and pierced her lips together before coughing gently to get all of our attention "Maria, there was a package in the mail today, it was addressed from someone called Dwayne Hoover, do you know this person?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Oh Dwayne, yes I met him once, I left a pair of gloves where we met and he told me he would send them back, that must have been what's in the package."

I didn't dare tell her the truth, she would have gone berserk, if she knew it was from him, or as she called them, the freaks.

My mother looked at me strangely, but after a while she picked up the little bell and rung for the mail, as soon as the package was placed in front of me, I ran upstairs, hugging the cream envelope to my thumping heart.

Slipping my thumb underneath the top of the package, opening it slowly, I saw that there was a letter and a tiny silver box inside, I decided to look at the letter first

'Dear Maria, I hope you got my secret letter, it feels so lonely without you around, the house has lost some of it's beauty and charm, sorry I'm being really emotional, but I really miss you, so much! I wanted to get you something special, something to remember me by. I really hope you can come and visit us again, because Olive misses you severely. Love you with all my heart! Dwayne.'

For such a lonely person, he sure can write some lovely stuff, reaching for the box, I slowly pulled the blue ribbons of, it and inside was the most stunning necklace I had ever seen. It was a tiny gold envelope and when I looked inside, there was a gold letter saying "I love you", my heart had fully melted.

As I pulled the chain from underneath the satin cushion, I looked at the rainbows reflected in the light from the jewels, it would have been ideal if Dwayne was here to place it around my neck, in stead of me having to peer into the mirror to attach it, but what can you do? That night I went to sleep dreaming of Dwayne.

"Miss Maria, your mother asks that you join her in the living room after your breakfast." Turning onto my front, I tried my best to completely ignore the nervous maid standing by my bed "Miss Maria, did you hear me, I'm sorry, but it is very urgent that you join your mother." I wanted to hit her, but restraining myself I opened one eye, I managed to mumble a few words in reply. "Fine, I'll be down soon."

As I watched her scuttle out of the room I angrily got out of my warm bed. Dressing as quickly as possible and running downstairs to eat my breakfast and join my mother, not because I wanted to, but as you can probably guess, my mother is not one to keep waiting. "

Finally Maria, I was beginning to wonder whether you had disappeared of the face of the earth."

"Sorry mother, but I'm here now." She gave me one of her disapproving looks, pressing her lips together to form one thin pink slug on her face, but instead of replying, she pushed three large catalogues under my nose. "You may pick five dresses you would like to wear to your brothers wedding and then I will see the one that I think fits best "thank you mother."

I fingered through the glossy pages of the magazines, scanning each picture and looking for the one that would be perfect for me, I saw: pink dresses, blue dresses, green dresses, small dresses, big dresses, short dresses and long dresses, everything was wrong, throwing them onto the table in a huff I let out a long sigh, why couldn't I find anything right!

"How about this one." My mother said pointing to a beautiful light green one with a small silk ribbon for a belt "it's not too showy, but it will look very nice with your red hair."

I was astounded, my mother had hated the colour of my hair ever since I was born, I had inherited it from her father, she was a dark brown and my sister was mouse, so I stuck out, my mother hated this, in yet now she was showing me something to frame my hair with.

"Thanks mother, it's great, can have this one please?"

"You may, now go and bother someone else, please I'm very busy." As she said this, she picked up her glass of white wine, sipped it and then picked up her phone, so she could make one of her three hour long calls.

I left my mother in peace and decided to go help Rosalina with her work.

That day went by very quickly, my father ended up shutting himself in so tightly in his study that he began moaning and groaning in anger, he also must have been hitting things in his anguish, for there was a lot of movement going on. Amber was off for the afternoon, I only noticed because someone else came to make my bed that evening.

As day turned to night I began to get undressed into my comfy white pjs, my grandmother had made them for me when I had turned thirteen, the embroidery had mostly fallen of and the many of the buttons had gone to, but the fabric was still so soft. Tiptoeing quietly to sit at the dressing table, I looked at the: perfume bottles, powder puffs, jewellery boxes(all hammy downs from my grandmother), the fairy lights reflected in the oval mirror.

"Dwayne…" I said, under my breath, stroking the smooth metal envelope

Glancing over at the tiny flip up calendar, my father called a Christmas present, it was July the 29th, tomorrow we would be flying of to jolly old England for Andy's big day! Can't wait.

I HATE MY SISTER! I just spent ten whole hours sitting next to her, while she sung aqua songs, half of the people on the plane just cooed at her and then the other half gave me, me dirty looks! Like it's my fault that she won't bloody shut up.

I swear my father was chatting up the hostess, who was handing out the pots of salty peanuts, as dirty as it sounds I happened to glance over at my parents on the other side, my mother was asleep, snoring quietly, she would die if she knew. My father's eyes twitched up and down, searching the hostess's body with his looks and when she bent over to pick a napkin of the floor, my father's eyes filled with desire. God he's a complete pervert, no wonder most of the maids try and stay away from him, only the oldest ones and Amber ever tend to his needs.

I was so happy when the plane finally landed and I was able to get away from the gruesome threesome, I know it's suppose to be twosome, but I'm un-lucky enough to have three, lucky me.

On a higher note, it was amazing to see Andy again, his fiancé Monica is absolutely beautiful, the only thing spoiling it was that she had one of those really posh English accents, not to dis the British, I love their voices, except the chav accent and the really really REALLY posh voice! The one where they sound like their mouth is full of peanut butter and they just can't say all the words.

"Good evening dear Maria, your dear brother has told me so much about you, but I never imagined you'd be this beautiful, what a dear little family!" she said, clasping her hands together, the woman must have a obsession with the word dear, still everyone else seemed to love her.

"Oh Andrew, it's a mothers dream!" my mother said, showing her real personality for a second, a pretty money thirsty mother, but Monica lapped it all up and gave my mother a pretty sickly sweet answer back "Oh Mrs Anderson it is so nice to finally meet you!" Andy smiled at me and pretended to be sick, he obviously didn't approve of his fiancé's silly behaviour.

"Monica my love, my family are probably very tired, I'll send for someone to show them to their rooms." Monica smiled and when my mother's back was turned she made a very quiet impression of my mother! So she didn't do the sweet act on a regular basis.

When Andy clicked his fingers, four men in suits ran up, picked up our bags and showed us the way to our luxury suits, although me and Amethyst had to share a room, we pushed our beds to the furthest sides of the room and ignored each other the whole time! The same can't be said for our parents, they spent the whole time arguing and after my father stormed out with a bottle of gin under one arm and a fag in his mouth (I thought he'd quit) it seemed that my parents hated each other more then I thought.

"Mother and Father are fighting again." Amethyst murmured, while flicking through her ponies magazine "this is one of the first times, what do you mean again?" I asked, "they always fight, you just never hear them." Amethyst said, her voice had an evil, sinister tone to it, after a while she put her Polly Pocket headphones in and that was the end of conversation.

At six o'clock sharp, we were called down to a banquet, where Andy, Monica, her parents and all of us sat down to Pheasant with herb stuffing. It was disgusting, I longed for Sheryl's frozen dishes, the simple taste of chicken wings in a bucket, lasagne in foil and peas from a tin, why, why, why? Did I have to be stuck in this up-tight living!

"So Maria what do you like to do in your spare time?" Monica asked, how could I answer her in front of my mother and my almost un-conscious father "well I love to listen to music, I like art and I love dancing."

I said with a smile on my face, remembering the dance routines I had made up with Olive, "lovely." Was the only thing Monica said in reply, she may hate my mother which gives her some personality, but the very little words she does say are boring and very very dull! How could my brother be in love with her? How many times would I think this, during the wedding? I wonder if Andrew has other reasons for marrying Monica?

"Maria, are you ok? You've been gone for a long time and your head is on a angle, have you been watching scrubs secretly again?" Andy whispered, the corners of his mouth up turned in humour, shaking myself out of the day dream I noticed that my head was on a slant, god I have to stop watching scrubs so much, although J.D is my least favourite character, I do like the way he has all those crazy day dreams.

"Maria Anderson please stop day dreaming and finish your tapioca pudding my mother hissed, more like frog's eggs pudding, this was going to be a long four days.


	8. Chapter 8

"God Persilla, I've shared a bed with the winner of Miss Cankle America in the past, but you are a whole different type of FAT!"

Not the nicest way to wake up to, but the next morning that's all I heard for a whole hour, my sister had cleverly plugged herself into her ipod and so she couldn't hear a thing, I how ever, had no idea about my parents fucking argument alarm clock!

It was so bad, I decided to go for a walk in the gardens, their beautiful in the early morning sunlight and the birds songs deafened out the sound of my parents harassing each other.

Sitting down on a small stone bench, I just leaned back and closed my eyes, the aroma of freshly cut grass lulled me into a light sleep. "It's nice to get away isn't it?" I smiled at the sight of Andy sitting next to me "I forgot how quietly you can walk on freshly cut grass" Andy laughed and sat down next to me "I'm glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humour"

"I keep it locked up safe in mothers biscuit barrel, mother never touches it, but if anyone else does, there's hell to pay."

Andy clutched at his sides as the thought of mother, guarding the biscuit barrel, while I distracted her and Andy ran behind and slipped his hand into the golden barrel of goodness came back to him.

"Memories huh? They'll never leave you" he stuttered while whipping away a fake tear. I'd completely forgotten about what Andy was really like, we were ten years apart, that might be why we never had a single fight.

"It's good to see that the evil three haven't changed you much, though I must say when I first saw you, I hardly recognised you, you've grown up so much!"

I punched him gently on the shoulder and then snuggled up to him "my little sister."

"You haven't changed either Andy, except now you've got a million dollar wife, a smart suit and a gang of English plum eaters."

"What the hell, why plum eaters?" Andy asked, giving me a strange look "because when ever they talk they sound like their eating a plum."

"Not all of them, most of them sound normal, it's just these lot and any way I find it very VERY attractive" He said, winking and raising his eyebrows up and down.

"God Andy, I don't want to know!" I shouted, jumping up and standing in front of Andy,

laughing he replied "it's nice to see you too Maria, hey Maria will you do a speech tomorrow at the wedding, I would ask mother, but she would just go on and on about my childish self and I'm not going to ask father, because he'll probably be too smashed."

"Yeah, I will, it will be pleasure." Andy smiled at me and pulled me back next to him, with reluctance I hugged him back, even if the seat was now covered in horrible cold dew.

As we sat their, staring out that sky, we heard the beautiful sound of the church bells telling everyone it was nine in the morning, time to go and have breakfast, since we were both dressed we went straight to the large hall and took our seats, which had been labelled with our names "This place gets better and better" I muttered sarcastically, so that the waiters and guest around us couldn't hear, after a couple minutes the rest of my family joined us at the table and it gave me a chance to guess who the rest of the people where, some were dressed in beautiful clothes and covered in beautiful jewels, they must have been royal, or at least noble. The rest I guessed to be some of Monica's friends and maybe some of Andy's new friends, but none of his old friends where to arrive until the actual wedding day, if they even came.

"Please my friends, enjoy." Andy said, arms out stretched like he was trying to hug us all, I must ask him about this later, but surprisingly, no one, but father and Amethyst giggled and that was just because he was already slightly tipsy and she's really little.

It's hard to eat pancakes neatly, I ended spilling lemon juice down my arms and onto my old navy jumper, my mother gave me one disapproving look, but was too occupied keeping my fathers head from falling into the soupe in front of him, who has soup for breakfast? It smelt horrible as well, like sickly sweet bananas and ginger, it is suppose to be good for you and to cleanse your soul!

After breakfast we were told to go and amuse our selves for three hours, before we did a dress rehearsal, a dress rehearsal, I thought they only did those in the Victorian times, this family is proper old fashioned, why did Andy agree to join in their old song and dance, because he loves Monica was all Amethyst would say, I think it's more then that, but who knows, maybe he does, it just seems like Andy was too quirky and fun loving then all off these posh people.

You have no idea how hard it is having to make use of three boring hours stuck in a room, with my little sister singing "I kissed a girl and I liked it, the taste of her cherry chap stick!" while the maid walked around the room hovering, when the blooming Hoover wasn't even on! I must have read the book 'Set in Stone' over and over again

but lastly at two o'clock in the afternoon we all gathered together in a surprisingly plain church and watched as my brother stood in front of nearly fifty people and pretended to announce his love to his dear Monica, it made you sick, why would you want to rehearse something so special, surely the more spontaneous it is, the more romantic it is, like when me and Dwayne had our first kiss, as I thought of this I imagined me and Dwayne sharing the amazing moment and then just as we drew apart Dwayne whispering "I love you Maria, but can we try that again, this time turn more to the left and actually can we stand up and….." God what hell, I'd end up smacking him in the face if he had done that

"Maria, the ceremony has finished, are you ok, you've been frozen for about ten minutes" Amethyst said, leaning forward and clicking her fingers in front of my eyes

batting her away I laughed nervously "Yeah I'm fine, where are we going next?"

Amethyst smiled evilly, fluffed out her hair and twirled around "mother wants us to go and have tea with: her, Monica and Lady Shipton." I died a little bit inside then, as Amethyst dragged me back to our room to get ready, as my sister opened up her wardrobe, the millions of dresses spilled out, like a wave of pastels over the floor

"Amethyst is there a need for the puke coloured dresses?"

"Yes, un-like you, I know how to look good." As she said that she picked up a pink frilly garment, that I can only guess was a dress, pretending to be sick I looked in my much smaller wardrobe and picked out: a scarlet blouse, a denim pencil skirt and a pair of black pumps.

"What are you dressed as a librarian?"

"What are you dressed as, a salmon?"

"Ha ha, very funny, but you know I look hot!" Amethyst said, strutting round the room in her matching high heels, just as she began to pout and flutter her eye lids, she tripped over one of the my little ponies and made a very graceful flop onto the floor, followed by a very funny, thud! "Oh yes, you really do look hot, look at the colour of your cheeks, practically burning!" Amethyst just pouted and began fixing her perfect perm.

An hour later we sat at a crystal table, in a gorgeous mahogany and gold room and all I could look at was Mrs Shipton's nose hair and the sound of her sipping tea through her few surviving teeth.

"Well Mrs Anderson, I must say you have a beautiful pair of daughters, but your oldest one is simply too quiet and I saw her this morning with your son Andrew gallivanting round our garden, I must warn you Ms Andrew, that garden cost over £100,000, so please try not to ruin it."

We were hardly gallivanting, more like sitting on a stone cold bench, I wanted to shout, but I had to retain my self as my mother kicked me gently with the tip of her sharp stilettos, I felt the blood trickle towards my feet as I took another cream biscuit to dip in this glorious tea.

"So Monica, what made you fall in love with my brother? Amethyst asked, batting her eyelids and secretly smearing on more lip gloss, I don't know how she did it, Mrs Shipton had the eyes of a hawk, but some how by the time Monica had thought of a answer, her lips where the size of my fathers ears, which are ginormous!

"Oh Amethyst he was such a gentlemen and like no one I had ever met before, he was the man of my dreams, the prince of my heart, he was perfect."

I don't think Monica could have been any more sickly sweet, un less she had said it with honey in her mouth! With her speech, finally finished, we all sat in peace, with only the sound of me whimpering in pain and still Mrs Shipton's horrible sipping noise.


	9. Chapter 9

***Hey, reviews would be great since I haven't had any yet and I want to know what you guys think. Also I don't live in America so I'm sorry if I get some facts wrong***

The day of the wedding didn't start well, when half the house was woken up by my father running around his room, chasing my mother, Monica's veil attached to his head, singing "hear comes the bride, short fat and wide, see how she wobbles from side to side!"

At least Andy tried to see the funny side of it, while Monica and her mother didn't find it at all amusing and if they had, had more time, they would have had another veil made, so that Monica wouldn't have something that smelt of whisky, but sadly they only had a couple hours before the wedding, so Monica just covered her self in perfume to hide the stench.

It was nice being able to sit back and watch as everyone ran around like busy little bees, going buzz buzz buzz! As they prepared the wedding of the century, I hardly saw Andy, I suppose he was with Monica's father going over his vows, so after the afternoon banquet of crumpets and tea it was time for me to jump into action and by jumping into action, I mean getting dressed and practicing my speech, that I was regretting already!

At least one thing wasn't shit, my dress actually looked good on me, although it showed my little bit of tummy, it gave me a glowing effect, for once I liked the way I looked, if only Dwayne could see me. I would love to see him in a suit, with his dark hair he would look so sexy! I was wearing the necklace he had given me and a charm bracelet that had belonged to me grandmother, it was suppose to have been given to Ameythst, but she thought it was too childish and rejected it, so I got it instead and guess what, now she wants it back!

At two oclock we all congregated in the church, Monica and Andy's close family at the front, close friends and smaller family members in the middle and the servants at the back, we had to wait for everything to be perfect and then the choir burst into song and Andy appeared beside the Priest in a grey suit and red tie

Suddenly everyone turned to watch Monica walk down the ile, her dad holding her arm. I wasn't really watching, I was singing my dad's version "her comes the bride, short fat and wide, see how she waddles from side to side." I started laughing, so I had to cover my mouth, biting into the skin to stop myself from bursting, when I had stopped laughing I finally looked up and gasped.

Monica was dressed in a long dress in snow flake white and arround the hem was a flowery lace, which I think was a powder blue, with her dark hair and smoky eyes, it was a beautiful contrast, but when I looked at Andy that's what made me really happy, the silly bastard looked over the moon, he was almost in tears by the time Monica had reached the end of the ile.

She just smiled and tried to pull her arm away from her father, who was holding onto her with a iron grip, in the end, I swear I saw andy help her un-clasp his wrinkly old hands, she ended up with rope burn.

I watched as the Priest made them say their vows and I couldn't help imagining my own wedding, but for some reason I couldn't see the groom, all I could see was my mother running after me with hair curlers and my father almost tripping over as he lead me up the ile, I shivered as I came out of the day dream, I need to stop watching so much Scrubs, I'm having J.D dreams again.

By the time I'd fully woken up, Andy and Monica had already left and everyone else was starting to do the same, I limped to the recpetion, while holding out a box of tissues, my mother was too tearfull to help me and my sister support our drunken father, in the end a member of staff had to grab a wheel chair, it's a good thing my father looks so haggard, so people actually believe he's a crippled seniel man.

"So Marina, did you enjoy your brothers wedding?"

I moaned slightly as one of Monica's giddy best friends, dressed in a tight silver frock, skipped over to me and started quizing me "sorry, but my name is Maria, MARIA! I enjoyed it very much, did you?" the Polly Pocket girl took a sip of a fruit martine, giggled and whispered "didn't Andy look dashing in the suite? I wanted Monica's dress, but I don't think my tiny behind would be able to fill out the dress like she does, well good bye Marie, I've got to go circulate."

And off she went "whore." Hopefully no one heard that, a couple minutes later I noticed her leaning on one of Andy's school chums arm, I'll have to ask Monica about that one.

We spent about a hour at the reception, before the close family retreated back to Monica's manour, we drove back in three white limos and Monica and Andy rode in front in a silver carriage, covered in red ribbons and white roses. I shared a limo with: my mother, my father, Ameythst and Monica's father and mother. It's a good thing Mrs Shipton was watching the silver carriage in front of them, because my father was trying to touch her up, but my mother kept swatting his hands away just before his chubby sausage fingers touched her satin skirt.

I was able to get away from the after wedding dinner by pretending that I had bad pains because it was my time of the month,of course is it wasn't, but it's like nails down a chalk board eating with that lot. I

t was then that I was able to have a fantastic peacfull hour on my own, that's when I'm at my happiest. I pulled out my sketch book and ipod, plugged in and indulged in some drawring, I drew the view from my window, my sister and all her new friends in their cute fluffy bridesmaid dresses

and last of all, I tried to draw what I could remember of Dwayne, I dream of him nearly every night, but I couldn't do more then a faint outline of him on the paper, this saddend me incredibly, I miss Dwayne, so much. There's not a single day that I don't wish I was with him and not stuck in a room decorated in gold and silk.

After one more day stuck in that huge building, we finally packed up and made the journey home, but before some of the staff dragged my family into the car, my dad too drunk to move and my mother and sister refusing to leave, I pulled Andy away and had a quick word "Andy are you really and trully in love with Monica?" Andy looked shocked, before nodding his head

"Good good."

"Why would you think that? Haven't you enjoyed it here, I know it's been a bit tiresome, but hasn't it been fun?"

"Yeah I enjoyed it, well most of it, parts with you have been great, absoultley splendid" Andy smiled, but it didn't seem like he had got the answer he was searching for

"Come on Maria, what's the matter with Monica?" I sighed "Nothings wrong with her, it's everything else, the way they live, the people she's friends with, didn't you meet her blonde bimbo friend? She's horrible, such a cow!" Andy laughed again, showing his new pearly teeth, that i guessed he had, had done for the wedding. "You mean Yasmin, yeah she's a bit weird, don't really like her very much, bit too flirty, too many frills"

"And she fancies you and thinks that Monica has a huge bum!" Andy looked shocked "Uh oh, I better keep my eye on her, or it might get nasty." I just sighed, this weekend had been more emotionally draining then anything else I had ever been through

"so you really find this whole thing, Monica's family and friends, the way she lives, horrible?"

I just nodded again "Andy, you should know how I hate how I live, how you use to live, but you haven't changed the way you live, the way I thought you would. When we were little, do you remember we use to talk for hours about how we would change our lives if we had un-limited wishes, your dream world was so different to this. You, you've changed."

I burst into tears, I had finally told my dear older brother Andy how I thought of him now, Andy pulled me closer and hugged me, in a brotherly way, I cried into Andy's chest, soaking his pale green shirt. "Look Maria, I still hate this way of life, don't you think that sometimes I want to rebel against everything here and create havoc? I feel that way every day, but Monica makes it all bareable, she keeps me sane, I love her so much! That's how I'm able to do it, when you find someone that you love as much as I love Monica, then you will understand."

And with that, I began to smile, with the back of my hand I whiped away the tears that had clinged to my cheek and a couple that had trickled down my neck. I understood now.

Pulling away from Andy's grasp, I smiled, pecked him on the cheek and whispered "don't worry, I've already found a person like that, I hope I see you soon, bye!" Andy grinned at his confusing little sister, helped me into the long black car that would take me all the way back to the airport "see you Maria."

He quickly kissed the top of my ginger head and slid something into my hand "little gift from me and Monica." And with that I sped off, with three crazy people who I did not enjoy calling family and a look of delight as I fingered the thin box.

It reminded me off the gift Dwayne had given me, just a few weeks ago, though it feels like years, I giggled at the thought of going back to the Hoover family seeped into my mind.

Opening the box I gasped at the sight of a thin silver digital camera lying in the purple paper, pressing the on button, I watched the lense open out and the screen turn on with a sweet tinkly sound, but strangley when I went to look at the file that I would fill with my pictures, there was one already there. I pressed a couple buttons to get a closer look and there was Andy, with his arm around Monica who was holding out a piece of paper, so that the camera could pick up what was written on it. I just laughed when I read the three simple words "Click Click, Enjoy!"

I layed back on the leather car seat and let my mind drift in and out of a beautiful dream, filled with Dwayne, Olive and for some reason a dark pool of blue water.


	10. Chapter 10

As soon as we got home, I ran up to my bedroom, dragging my bags behind me.

"Stop running Maria, it sounds like a group of elephants are going up the stairs!"

I turned to look down at my mother, she looked so small, apart from her hair which was absoultley huge, three times the size of her head.

"Mother if there were elephants going up the stairs you would know as the wood and carpets fell onto your head and whole lot of elephant butts came down to squash you flat" I said, smilling smuggly at her as I turned to carry on running up the stairs.

"That horrid little girl needs to learn some manners" I heard my mother mumble, "oh vernon, we only just got home, do you have to start drinking now?"

I knew my father was a alcholic, just like I know the abc's off by heart.

But hearing him stumble into his study, glasses and bottles clinking together, as he sung a song he'd learnt when he was a student, before he met my mother and way before he'd inherited his parents fortune.

Well it sent chills through my body as it echoed through the house, no matter how far you went up the stairs, even to the top, you could still hear him gulping down the clear liquid that I had known all my life as Vodka, which he mixed with hundreds of different alcholic drinks to make it even stronger.

"Mothers angry with you" Ameythst sung as she skipped past my room up to hers

"I don't care" I sung back, I heard her laugh "you can't sing" she shouted, "oh yes I can" I said as I began to un-pack my bags. "Ok sing!" she was in her room, I could tell by her foot steps above, she was dancing.

"Alright" I said, switching on my Ipod speakers, I turned on Somewhere only we know by Keane, I don't usually like soppy songs, but this ones beautifull and it's one of the only songs I know all the words to.

I started singing as best I could "I walked across an empty land, I knew the path way like the back of my hand, I felt the earth beneath my feet, sat by the river and it made me complete!"

"Fine fine you can sing, now please shut up, I don't want to have to listen to rubbish music!" Ameythst shouted, stamping up and down on her bright pink carpet.

I turned it off and switched onto a playlist full of my favourite Blur songs, it started off with Parklife.

As I put away my clothes, I sung as loudly as I could, in a rubbish cockney accent. "All the people, so many people and they all go hand in hand, hand in hand through their parklife!"

"Will you shutup…..ugh…some of us are trying to..ooooh….SLEEP!" my father screamed.

Oh god I hate him so much! And he didn't sound like he was sleeping, more like he was in pain, or pleasure, he sounded just like when I had been giving Dwayne a love bite. Except that Dwayne sounded so much nicer, his voice was sexier and when he moaned I loved every second I heard it, though that might have been because I was the cause of his moan.

I miss him so much!

I had a dream about him on the plane, it was such a lovely dream.

We were outside in his garden again, but the evening was warm, but we were still huddled together, with a blanket wrapped round us. I was sitting on Dwayne's lap and he was kissing my cheek and neck and his hands were exploring my body, while my hands slipped behind me, between his legs and and…..it makes me blush every time I think of it and tiny butterflies circled around inside my stomach, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it constantly.

Soon the cooks called us for dinner.

I changed into a pair of comfy jeans and a big black t-shirt which said "No I am not on f*****g facebook!" my mother hated it, but right now I didn't really care if she became angry or not.

I was walking downstairs when Rosalina suddenly stopped me on the stairs

"you look lovely Maria, you always do, but recently you've had a happy glow around you, one I've never seen before" she said, she looked me straight in the eyes. "Is it because of the Hoover's, that family you went to visit?" I couldn't keep secrets from Rosalina, so I just nodded. "Could a boy have anything to do with it?" she said, grinning, she winked at me as my whole face turned cherry tomato red.

"I've got to go down to dinner" I said, running down the stairs

"I knew it Maria, you can't hide something like that from me" she said with a chuckle as she carried on dusting the bannister.

When I'm old enough to move out, I'll take Rosalina with me, but not as a maid, but as friend and Mr. H would come visit and so would Dwayne….oh god I can't think about Dwayne with out going red and gooey inside.

"Your late!" my mother screeched as I walked into the room.

I looked at the clock, 7:32 pm, god my mother needs to lighten up

"I'm only two minutes late and anyway where's father? Isn't he suppose to join us aswell? Or are we not good enough to be graced with his god like presence!"

Ok I know I'm being a bit harsh, but I couldn't bear it, thinking of Dwayne and the hoovers had made me remember how happy I'd been with them and what a shit life I lived here. An alcholic pervert for a father, a stuck up her own but mother who cares more about shoes then her own children and a barbie doll for a sister!

"You're a horrible little brat you know that, now up to your room! You won't be sharing dinner with us tonight"

"Fine! I don't want to sit with you either or eat your stuck up food, I hate it here!"

I ran out of the room, trying to make as much noise as possible, just to piss her off even more. I can't wait to get out of here!

"Fuck" I groaned, twisting and turning underneath the thin cover that I'd thrown over my body before sinking into a angry sleep.

I looked at the clock, almost ten o'clock, everyone was probably asleep, but I didn't feel tired anymore.

I don't know why I decided to go to the attic, I hadn't been up there in months maybe even a year, it use to be my favourite spot, I would go up there when I needed to escape.

I tucked my Ipod into my pocket, with a book under my arm, I then pulled on a thick dark purple sweater and a pair of black cat slippers.

I slipped out the room and started creeping towards the top floor.

The attic was full of boxes, old furniture, just things that my family had forgotten about for years, it was a great place to hide, although it was incredibly dusty, it was the one room that the staff didn't clean

I had no idea why, but I enjoyed every moment of the peacefull silence.

was cuddled into a saggy bean bag, with one of my faviourete books in the crook of my hands, I loved the 'Book Thief' although the beginning is a bit boring

just as I was getting to most intense part, I heard the attic stairs creek, my heart echoed against my rib cage, I knew I wasn't allowed to be up here and if anyone found me, that would be the end.

Running to hide behind a castle of boxes, I peered through a small crack in the wood, I wish I'd never seen what I saw, I had to stop myself from screaming every second.

I watched poor Amber ran up the stairs, her unifrom in rags and snail trails of mascara running down her cheeks and following her, already drunk and hungry for excitement

was my father.

"No Vernon, I wont do it!" Amber screamed, almost toppling onto the very boxes that I was hidden behind, but my Father caught the crying girl and tried to kiss her, but Amber pushed away, she held her stomach, that was now round and incredibly large "look what you've done to me Vernon, look what has come out of your drunken horny ways."

I wanted to cry, my father had been having an affair with one of the staff, it all be came clear, the constant hours locked away in his study, while everyone listened to him groaning in what they thought was anger.

I had to bite my hand, to stop the sobs, I tried to look away, but my eyes wouldn't do as they were told.

My father grabbed Amber and pushed her against the wall, he carreressed her swollen belly and grinned, Amber wimpered, I knew what was coming, my father kissed Amber, although she tried to keep away, he kept her in a iron grasp. I wished she had just let him kiss her, then he wouldn't have done what he did next.

Angered by the fact that he wasn't getting the satisfaction he needed, my father raised his fist, it looked like he was going to punch Amber, but instead he brought his fist right into the middle of her stomach. Amber cried out in pain as he continued to beat her, he started kicking now, causing her to fall to the floor, her hands wrapped around her now distorted belly.

Un-able to get to his un-born child, Vernon started kicking Amber in the face, blood spread all over the floor, a tiny trickle found it's way over to my feet and I could bear it no longer.

Grabbing the closest object to me, I picked it up and ran with it, my father didn't have a chance to react as I brought the heavy wooden walking stick, down on the back of his skull.

My father fell to the floor, splinters of the wood stuck in his head, in amongst his balding hair, Amber shrieked as more blood circled my ankles, but this time it was from my own father, but I couldn't stop myself, all the anger flooded at as I attacked my father, bashing him on the sides as he tired to grab at my ankles, to pull me down so that he could get attack me to.

"I hate you, you fucking perverted bastard!" I shouted, kicking him one last time, but this time in the face. I heard his nose splinter.

That's when I stopped, he wasn't moving, nor was Amber, but I knew she was concious, I couldn't say the same for my father.

I wasn't thinking straight, but I helped Amber up, who was clearly greatfull for me saving her from a fate that might have been her own in only a matter of time, but also scared, she had seen what I could do and the look on my face would be enough to scare anyone.

I lead Amber to her own room and helped her lye back on the bed, I then called for Rosalina to come help the poor girl, but I didn't stay any longer, kissing Amber on the forehead I whispered "I'm sorry" and ran away.

I searched my room, collecting all the nescarry stuff: my coat and jumper, the camera I had been given only the day before, a photo of me and my grandmother(when I had only been seven years old), a torch, a purse full of about £40, a small pocket knife, a bottle of water and a breakfast bar I had saved from the plane and last of all, I placed the small golden necklace around my neck, I placed the envelope underneath my shirt and walked over to the window.

It was a small journey down, from my window to the ground, first I had to climb along the roof that hung above the door, then on to my mother's and what use to be my father's balcony and then a quick slippery climb down the drain pipe and I was away.


	11. Chapter 11

As soon as I was on the ground, I started running, my bag was firmly on my back and I was wearing my old green converses.

I ran through the garden, sticking to the darkest parts, under tress, near hedges, I even ducked underneath a table just so that the cameras wouldn't be able to pick me out. Even if they did, one I get on the road it wont matter, no cameras there, just hundreds of animals watching me leave my old life for ever!

I ran along the road, keeping to the side, so that a passing car wouldn't run me over, I then took a short cut through a near by field, which brought me out onto a widder road, this is when I stopped running, if anyone realised I had dissapeared, it would take them longer to find me if I went this way.

I breathed in and out quickly, regaining my breathe, my mind was spinning round, full of images of what had just happened, my father beating Amber, me attacking my father with the walking stick and last of all, just the pool of blood, a deep crimson red, that smelt of iron, that swam around my feet.

I had killed someone, or at least hurt them badly and that person was my father, but for some reason the only guilt I was feeling, was that I hadn't helped Amber sooner, why had I waited so long? My father could have caused Amber to have a misscarriage, to loose the baby, maybe she already has.

And what about my mother, she may have hated her husband deeply, but she still loved him, that's why she has put up with him all these years. Ameythst also loved her father, he treated her like a princess most of the time, she was his shinning gem, his prize posession, well apart from the booze and his money and even Andy loved him a little bit, he had been our father's only son and had been brought up to be a proper gentlemen.

My father had loved them all, except me, he had never shown me any compassion any sense of loving me, he didn't even compliment me when I passed my mock GCSE's with flying colours. Maybe that was why I felt no love for him either, but the thought of those that I actually loved, even just a little bit. Hating me for what I had just done, made me cry by the side of the road.

After a while I found the right spot, it was near a huge pond and hundreds of large umbrella like trees hid me from the view of those who might be up in the air.

The sky was dark now and I had settled myself underneath a old oak tree, the branches kept the rain from touching my frozen skin, I just shivered, wishing I had brought more layers.

I looked up at the sky and remembered the night I had shared with Dwayne, when we had shared our first kiss, was he looking up the stars? where they the same stars that had shone so brilliantly that night? And would he ever forgive me for what I had done?

My eyes were swollen with tears, they stung painfully, causing me to cry even more, an owl hooted far away and it reminded me of how alone I was right now and how I would probably be alone for the rest of my life.

Delving into my bag, I brought out all the items I cared for so dearly, I stroked them all and then hugged them tight to my chest, never wanting to let go, then I had an idea.

Pulling out the camera I turned the setting to video and set it in front of me, making sure that on the screen, you could see my face, I smiled and pressed the recording button.

"Hello, my name is Maria Anderson, I am recording this so that if it is found, the people I care about, will know how deeply I care for them.

First Mother and Ameythst, although you both drive me up the wall sometimes, wait should I say that, how do I delete, oh never mind, where was I, oh yeah and I know I drive you up the wall and many a time I feel like such an out sider that I feel that I was adopted into your family, I love you dearly, because when you do show just a little bit of emotion you always show me you care just a little.

Next is Andy, I hope you and Monica are happy together and live a great life, wow cheesy, but it's true and what I really hope for is that you have lots of children, that you will love and care for and wont treat like dirty pests, I love you both and I hope that you survive your marriage life with no complications at all, although I wouldn't tell Mrs Shipton about my little incident, her eye balls would fall out of their sockets, hahaha, anyway, I love you.

Thirdly, Mr.H and Rosalina, your really great friends and I hope that one day you will forgive me for what I have done, although I know you both don't really like my father, you both have hearts of gold and will immediately pitty him.

Fourthly, Amber, I've already said I'm sorry, but I want to say it again, I'm sorry I didn't come and help you quicker, I'm sorry I hurt father in front of you, because I know that you loved him dearly, even if he did abuse you and I really really hope! That your baby will be alright.

Fifthly, the Hoover family, you are the best people in the world! I'm sorry I wasn't able to return your hospitality and I will miss you all dearly, specially you Olive, I want you to keep on dancing, on and on! You here me.

Lastly, Dwayne, I love." The camera started beeping and when I looked at it, a little flashing light showed me that I had no memory left, I sighed, placed the camera back in the bag and walked far of into the night.

It was raining harder then before, by the time I had reached the destination, I didn't have a clue where it was, but I knew it was the kind of place I needed.

I placed the bag by the side of the pond and then walked in, the bottom of the pond was deep and muddy and it was hard to see into the dark blue water, it reminded me of a dream I had, had, but I couldn't remember anything else.

I had done this once before, but thise time I knew what I had done wrong, why I hadn't succeded. This time I would be able to do it with out being interrupted.

When I got to the deepest part, I delved my hand into my pocket and pulled out the small pocket knife, flipping the sharpest knife out, I pushed the blade against the veins in my wrist and watched as the blood splurted out, little trickles leaving red stains down my arm, the pain was exrucianting, but at least it blocked out the horrible images swimming around in my brain,

lying back, I let the blood spill into the midnight water, the pain washed over me, sticking into me like a million needles, I closed my eyes and thought back at all the good moments in my life, but after a while the images drained away and all I could see, was black.

*Is it the end? Or not? Guess your gonna have to wait to find out =D *


	12. Chapter 12

"Maria, Maria, can you hear me?" The lids of my eyes felt like they had weights attached to them, I could barely lift them, try as I might. The world around me was completley black, but I could feel soft sheets wrapped round my body, a low throbbing pain penetrated my soul, was this death?

Suddenly someone started stroking my forehead, their hands were cool against my burning skin, a short stab of pain in my wrist, electricuted me awake, I screamed out and my eyes opened, just for a moment and the bright light blinded me.

Pulling the pillows over my head, I tried to stop concentrating on the terrible pain, when a calm voice broke into my mind

"Maria, please listen to me, can you look at me, please?" it was Dwayne!

Pushing the pillow aside, I slowly opened each eye, millimetre by millimetre, until I was able to stare into the gorgeous dark eyes of Dwayne Hoover, he smiled and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me towards him, I tucked my head under his chin and cuddled up to him, Dwayne just laughed "your hair's tickiling me" that made my cheeks flare up even more, I tried to pull away, but Dwayne kept me close to him and started kissing the top of my head.

I don't know how long I spent in his arms, I felt so safe and happy, but as my eyes opened more and more, I started to remember what had happened that horrible night by the lake, looking at my wrists, I noticed new bandages had been placed around and a small tube ran underneath it, the tube was attached to a bag full of blood.

"Dwayne, what happened? how are you here?"

Dwayne finally loosend his grip on me and gently placed me back on the pillow, I starred up at him and his eyes were suddenly full of sorrow.

"Oh Maria, I was hoping you wouldn't remember, but I guess someone has to tell you. What do you remember?"

"Amber, my father, oh Dwayne I don't want to remember!"

I burried my heads in my hands, tears seeped through the thin material of my hospital gown "I killed my father."

Dwayne hugged me, but this time, it was comforting "don't worry Maria, your father isn't dead, he did loose a lot of blood and his skull was damaged pretty badly but you only knocked him out and Amber is fine, although, I can't say the same for the baby, two days after the accident, she had a misscarriage. It was horrible for her, but she didn't really want the baby, so it had it's advantages."

Eventhough my father was alive, I couldn't help being angry, I thought I'd got rid of him and I still hadn't stopped Amber from getting hurt badly.

Dwayne noticed my dissapiontment and stroked my cheek "Maria, your family still love you, you may not believe it, but it's true, their trying to understand what you did and I don't think they'll feel any different about you"

"I hope your right." I whispered, I knew Andy would understand, but Mum and Ameythst surely wouldn't, they had loved Dad, even if he had treated them like shit, they didn't love me, well not very much.

"Ah Miss Anderson, nice to see your awake, Mr Hoover hasn't left your side for the past couple of days, he flew over as soon as we told him"

I starred at Dwayne in astonishment, I knew I loved him more then anything in the world, but I never knew he was that commited to me, I wanted to kiss him and never let go, but the doctor stopped me from doing anything that was at all like that, so instead I held his hand and squeezed it tight, he smiled and winked at me

"I wanted to see you, even if you were in a coma"

"I was in a coma?" I asked, looking back at the doctor, who was now checking my chart "yes, you lost quite a lot of blood, but you should be better in a few days, although you wont be able to be left alone, in case you try to commit suicide again, I'm sorry"

she did actually look sorry, so I smiled at her

"no it's fine."

After a while the doctor left, leaving me and Dwayne alone.

"I'm so glad your aright" Dwayne said

He was sitting on the bed with me, he was cuddling me to his chest, it was such a blessing to feel his body against mine again, to hear his heart beat and feel his breath against my skin, even his voice sounded like an angel talking.

He was burying his head into the top of my hair, from the way he spoke, it sounded like he was on ther verge of tears

I turned to look at his face, his lovely, handsome face.

I stroked his jaw with my thumb, I leaned up to kiss his lips, Dwayne smiled and leaned down to meet me.

I almost sighed at the feel of him kissing me, as our mouths moved together, fitted around each other like jigsaw pieces. His lips were soft as silk and felt as warm as sitting next to a fire.

"I love you" I whispered, as we stopped kissing, it wasn't as passionate as our one in my room and not as magical as the first one in his garden. But this one was more loving then any of the others and made my whole body feel warm and happy.

"I know" Dwayne said, smirking

"Your not suppose to say that idiot" I said, hitting him playfully on the chest

Dwayne grabbed my hand and held it up to his face, his breath sent small shivers down my arm and into my body, I can't believe such a tiny thing would do this to me, I never believed you could feel this way, all the way through my life. All I've ever seen was my parents hating each other for fifteen years and then I met Dwayne and a whole new world was opened up to me.

Dwayne kissed my hand and then pressed it against his heart "you know I love you" he said quietly.

I felt a smile creep along my face. I leaned back against his chest, savouring every momment.

"I missed you so much Maria, you can't do that to me again"

"I had to leave you, I can't live with you every second Dwayne, as much as I would like to, there's just no way"

"That would be a dream to live with you Maria, but I wasn't talking about that, please look at me Maria"

I turned to look at him, he looked very serious, but when I looked into his eyes properly, I could see that mostly he was incredibly worried and sad. I had really hurt him by trying to kill myself, I was trying to stop the pain, but I hadn't thought about how it would cause him so much pain.

"I promise"

Dwayne smiled slightly, "thank you, I can't loose you Maria, I just can't" as he said this, a tear which I think he'd been holding back for a while, dripped down his cheek and onto his t-shirt. I can't see him like this, it rips my heart apart, it hurts more then the blade did as it tore through my skin.

I placed my hands on both sides of his face, leaning my forehead against his, I looked into his gorgeous brown eyes, my lips only a few centimeters away from his.

"You will never loose me, because I would rather die then be away from you. You're the best thing in my life"

Dwayne smiled and pulled my head towards his, filling the gap.

As soon as we had touched lips, electric currents shot through my mind. I wrapped one arm around his neck, since one of them was still attached to the blood supply. Dwayne smirked and wraped an arm around my waist, so that I could be even closer to him. His chest pressed against mine, our heart beats, beated together, creating a perfect melody.

"Oh Maria.." Dwayne sighed, caressing my face, he bit down gently on my bottom lip. As I let out a quiet moan, Dwayne slipped his tongue into my mouth, I let it explore every part of it. He licked the roof of my mouth, then moving to soften the inside of my cheek, every crevice was touched. The bit I enjoyed the most, was when his tongue collided with mine, they twisted and turned together. Half like a battle and half like dance. I moaned into his mouth, my fingers intwined into his soft black hair.

"Excuse me Miss Andrews, but it's time you got some rest, Mr Hoover can go and have some dinner, I'm sure he hasn't eaten in at least a day"

We both sprung apart at the sound of the doctors voice, Dwayne straightend out his hair and wipped his mouth.

"Urmm yeah, sounds good" he mumbled, nodding in the direction of the doctor, she didn't seem very impressed, I guess waking up from a coma and then in only a matter of minutes your making out, isn't the best thing to do, but after the feelings I just got, I don't care at all.

"I'll come back as soon as you've had some rest" he said, kissing me on the forehead and slidding out of bed. He walked out the room, the doctor watching his every move.

I couldn't help, but smile secretly to myself as the doctor checked the monitor and all the rest of the electronic things that you get in a hospital. I could feel her watching me, out of the corner of her eye.

"You really scared everyone you know?" she said after a while.

I turned to look at her, she was sitting down on a small plastic chair, a chart resting on her lap.

"I know I did" I couldn't look at her for very long, she had a very sour face.

"Oh I don't think you do, you might have seen how Mr Hoover felt about it, during your little….momment, but you have yet to see your mother and sister, oh and your brother was here a couple days ago."

"Andy's here! And my mother and Ameythst! They're all here?" I was sitting up now, I wanted her to tell me everything, all the news of my family while I've been in the coma.

"Their all staying in a hotel near by, they've been waiting for you to wake up for almost a month. You should have seen them, they were all in tears, especially your mother."

"My mother?"

"Yes your mother, she was by your bedside for a whole week, she only left to eat and go to the toilet"

"That doesn't sound like her" I was really just saying it to myself, but she heard me quite clearly. "She loves you, you're her daughter"

"I guess" I mumbled, fingering the bandages on my wrists, they felt alien to me, even though I've had them before.

The last time I'd tried to…kill myself, I'd been in my bathroom with my razor, I had pulled out the blades and held at least three of them to the skin. I can see myself so clearly, crying bucket loads, god my life was so shit, it's always been horrible, no wonder I've tried to commit suicide twice, the ony good thing is Dwayne and he's not gonna be around me 24/7. He has to go back home and I have to stay here.

"How was I found" I asked suddenly, I had been thinking about it since the momment I woke up, but Dwayne being here had pushed it out my mind, I had just remembered as the doctor was leaving the room.

"The young girl, Amber, she told the staff about what had happened, then when they went to check on you, they found you missing. They had to get the police to help search, apparantly they were using helicopters and everything just to find you. One found you a little while later, the current of the water had drifted you nearer to the side. You were a very lucky girl to be found, another hour and you wouldn't be with us."

With that she left, I must say she wasn't a very compassionate doctor.

**thank you so much for all the reviews, their really encouraging and I love reading them!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks so much for all the reviews, keep them coming, I love to read them and I'll work harder to get the next chapter out. Watched Little Miss Sunshine today, best film ever!**

At twelve, Dwayne came back, carrying a tray full of hospital food, a turkey sandwich, an apple and a bottle of water.

"Thanks Dwayne" I said, sitting up properly, as he pulled up a chair to the bed.

"my pleasure" he said pecking me on cheek, but he didn't pull his head back, instead he moved his head so that his lips were almost touching my ear.

"I brought this for us to share, I had to hide it because the doctor was giving me evils when I came back" he whispered, pulling a small bag of chocolate buttons from behind his back.

"Yipee!" I squealed, clapping my hands and jumping up and down.

Dwayne laughed and pushed me back against the pillow "calm down, we don't want the doctor to hear you"

"Fine, fine, now hand me that sandwich, I'm starving!" I said, grabbing the block of white bread and meat. I must have lost so much weight being in the coma. My stomach was completely flat and my wrists looked like they would snap at any moment. At least the tubes had been taken away.

Now I only had the bandages to remind me of my suicidal moment.

"wow" Dwayne gasped as I devoured the food he had brought me

"god I must look like such a pig" I said, finally stopping for a second to look at the crumbs, apple core and empty bottle left on the tray after only a few minutes.

"no of course you don't, you haven't eaten properly in ages and anyway I like the fact that you actually eat" he said, smirking.

"Still got room for a little sweetness" Dwayne laughed, waving the packet in front of my eyes.

"oh you bet" I said snatching it out of his hand.

Dwayne grinned as I tore open the packet, I popped one quickly into my mouth and then slowly pulled one out and held in front of his lips.

"Do you want it Dwayne?" I said as sexily as I could "oh yes"

I smiled as he opened up his mouth, slowly I placed it on his tongue.

Dwayne closed his lips quickly around my fingers, his tongue stroked them slightly, before letting me withdrew them.

"your such a tease" he whispered, feeding me one, I smirked and licked the button and his finger, before taking it into my mouth. Dwayne made a quiet moaning sound.

I couldn't help myself, I leant forward and kissed his lips, tasting the chocolate lingering in his mouth. "your so amazing Dwayne Hoover" I murmered.

Dwayne grinned and kissed my forehead " and your beautiful and funny and clever and absoultely fucking perfect."

"language" I teased, popping in another chocolate button into my mouth, he smiled and took a second one.

Dwayne stayed with me for hours, he even fell asleep with his head resting on my shoulder.

Andrew came visit quickly earlier on, before going back to England.

He said he understood and he didn't hate me, he was just happy I was alive. Although when he saw Dwayne sitting next to my bed, practically on the bed with me. He got all protective, but I think he likes Dwayne. They had a conversation about literature, while I almost fell asleep from boredom.

Not surprisingly my mother and Ameythst hadn't come to visit us yet, I don't think they wanted to see me, until they had to. When I was able to leave the hospital and go home.

Fathers not gonna be there, he's going to court after getting out of hospital, for rape and assault. I might get let off for hurting him, because I was defending Amber. Although this does mean I'm going to have to go to court and tell the judge all about what my father did. Which I am not looking forward to, at all.

"I'm going to miss you so much!" Dwayne groaned.

He was helping me pack, I was well enough to go home and school was going to start soon so Dwayne had to return to his home and family. I was putting away all the items I'd brought when I was running away, while Dwayne was dealing with my clothes, well the small amount that my mum had brought over to the hospital.

"I'm gonna miss you too" I said, placing my camera(by the way Dwayne was the only one who saw it, he said it was so sweet and he almost cried, I mean he was in tears, like a baby, bless his gorgeous heart.) in one of the bags provided.

I suddenly felt Dwayne wrap his arms around my waist and place his chin on my shoulder, I would miss this more then anything, just the feel of him around me, it would be months before I saw him again, I bet.

I felt the tears welling up, when for some reason I heard Dwayne laughing into my hair.

"What's so funny?" I said angrily

Dwayne turned me round to face him, he was grinning, a real toothy grin, from ear to ear. This pissed me off slightly, but mostly I was confused, I thought we were having a lovey dovey moment.

"So, what the hell are you laughing at?" I said, poking him in the chest.

"Because this whole time, I've been holding onto these" he brought his hand up in front of my face, so that I could stare straight at them.

My mouth dropped wide open

"Dwayne give them back" I snarled as he made the silk purple polka dot pants, dance around my head.

Dwayne winked as he slipped the knickers into one of his pockets.

"Dwayne give them back, now!"

"You want them, come get them" he whispered, jumping back so that he was out of reaching distance.

I lunged at Dwayne, but he started skipping around the room, so I had to run after him, looking like an idiot. He slid underneath the bed and over the table.

I finally got so angry, that I suddenly leaped off the sofa I was standing on, onto Dwayne's back. I tackled him to the floor, my hands searching around inside his many pockets, feeling around for my underwear.

Suddenly my leg pushed against Dwayne's groin, as I froze, Dwayne let out a moan, he almost collapsed backwards. I had to push him onto the bed quickly so that he wouldn't crack his head on the floor.

I pulled my knickers out and slipped them into the clothes bag.

I went to sit down next to him, he was lying down slightly, his legs hanging off the bed

"woah" he gasped, turning to face me

"urmm, yeah" that was all I could say. Of course I know one day I'll be more sexual with Dwayne, sometimes I think I want it right there and then, but for some reason I was scared and since I'd never done anything like that before, I was sure I'd be rubbish at it and make a fool of myself.

"Are you ok?" he said sitting up properly. He was holding me like a baby in only seconds. I curled up and leant against him, enjoying the safety and warmth that I felt.

"Yeah, I guess"

Dwayne turned my head slowly, just starring at me, the corners of his mouth turned down. "No your not, what's the matter, is it because of the knickers? Or because of what happened on the floor? Or something else? Please tell me"

"I can't, it's too embarrassing"

"Fine, but you know you can always talk to me, about anything."

I finally looked at Dwayne and I could see that he clearly meant what he said, I was the luckiest person ever to have him as my boyfriend.

"I know, I love you"

"I love you too" he said, nuzzling the top of my head as I kissed his neck in the exact spot I knew he liked.

"Now how about we get back to work?"

I nodded and jumped off his lap, walking back to the suitcase and returning to the job.

I know that one day I will go further with Dwayne, but right now I'm happy with the way things are.


End file.
